Teen athlete loses legs in crash; prosecutor asked to resign
The Missouri attorney general called Wednesday for the resignation of St. Louis' elected prosecutor, after a motorist who repeatedly violated his bond conditions on earlier charges crashed and injured a teenage volleyball player from Tennessee, resulting in amputation of both of her legs. The case has renewed criticism of Democratic St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner amid questions about why the driver wasn't behind bars after court records showed more than 50 violations of bond conditions. Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey, a Republican, said Gardner must step down by noon Thursday, or he'll try to remove her from office.
news.yahoo.comSchmitt holds double-digit lead in Missouri Senate race: poll
Missouri Senate candidate Eric Schmitt (R) is leading Democratic challenger Trudy Busch Valentine by 11 percentage points, according to a new Emerson College Polling-The Hill survey released Friday. The poll of likely Missouri voters showed 49 percent of respondents saying they would support Schmitt if the Senate election were held today compared to Busch Valentine…
news.yahoo.comMissouri Supreme Court reprimands St. Louis prosecutor
The Missouri Supreme Court on Tuesday reprimanded St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner for mistakes made in the 2018 prosecution of then-Gov. Eric Greitens, but agreed with an advisory counsel's decision that suspension of her law license or disbarment were not merited. The brief ruling from the state High Court echoed a “joint stipulation” agreement reached in April by Gardner and the Missouri Office of Disciplinary Counsel. The agreement, stating that Gardner’s conduct “was negligent or perhaps reckless, but not intentional," called for a written reprimand, but it was ultimately up to the Missouri Supreme Court to issue a ruling.
news.yahoo.comNew York man who threatened LGBTQ groups sentenced to 30 months
A 74-year-old retired schoolteacher from a New York City suburb was sentenced to 30 months in prison Wednesday for mailing dozens of violent threats to LGBTQ affiliated individuals, groups and businesses over several years.
news.yahoo.comTakeaways: Abortion backlash in Kansas, Greitens' collapse
In one of the biggest days of this year's primary campaign season, red-state Kansas rejected a measure that would have made it easier to restrict abortion, and voters in Missouri repudiated a scandal-tarred former governor seeking a Senate seat.
Missouri GOP contenders distance themselves from McConnell
As the U.S. Senate primary campaign nears its end in Missouri, all three leading Republican candidates are making it clear that if elected, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell won't have their support. Twenty-one Republicans are on the ballot Tuesday, with former Gov. Eric Greitens, Attorney General Eric Schmitt and U.S. Rep. Vicky Hartzler believed to be the leading contenders. The Missouri candidates are among conservative Senate hopefuls who have fallen in line behind former President Donald Trump, who has attacked McConnell and advocated for new Senate leadership if Republicans win back the chamber in November.
news.yahoo.comGreitens fans shrug off scandals threatening GOP Senate seat
Eric Greitens resigned as Missouri governor amid criminal charges and legislative investigations, is accused by his ex-wife of abuse and bullying and has run a widely condemned ad suggesting he was hunting members of his own party with a gun. In the final weeks before the Aug. 2 primary, Greitens remains well positioned to clinch the nomination for the Senate seat being vacated by Republican Roy Blunt, who is not seeking a third term. If anything, the onslaught of criticism has made Greitens even more popular among his followers.
news.yahoo.comOusters, upsets halfway through 2022 primary election season
More than halfway through a tumultuous primary season, voters have rendered verdicts in a number of contests, many of which featured candidates arguing they best represented a continuation of policies favored by former President Donald Trump.
GOP unity? Some aim for reconciliation after tough primaries
Two days after losing a bitter primary to a rival she once deemed a “sellout” for occasionally working with Democrats, Katie Arrington appeared at a “unity rally” to urge South Carolina Republicans to come together and back Rep. Nancy Mace in the fall general election.
Greitens RINO video spurred threats to family, lawyer says
The lawyer for the ex-wife of Missouri U.S. Senate candidate Eric Greitens says the family has been subjected to “serious threats” in the days since Greitens released a violent campaign video in which he declares he’s hunting RINOs, or Republicans in Name Only.
EXPLAINER: How platforms dealt with 'RINO hunting' video
When a GOP Missouri U.S. Senate candidate released a video Monday in which he cocked a gun after calling for a hunt of fellow Republicans who he believes are “RINOs,” or Republicans in Name Only, Facebook scraped it off its platform within a few hours.
1/6 panel lawyer urged to run for Missouri US Senate seat
Former Republican U.S. Sen. John Danforth and others are urging a former federal prosecutor who now serves as an attorney for the congressional committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection to make an independent run for one of Missouri’s Senate seats.
Grand jurors: St. Louis prosecutor's actions 'reprehensible'
Members of a grand jury that indicted an investigator in the criminal case against former Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens urged a state disciplinary board to take stronger action against St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner, calling her conduct “reprehensible.” The St. Louis Post-Dispatch on Thursday reported that grand jury members last month sent a letter detailing their concerns to St. Louis Circuit Judge Rex Burlison, and asked him to forward it to the Missouri Office of Chief Disciplinary Counsel.
news.yahoo.comSt. Louis prosecutor, disciplinary panel reach agreement
St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner has reached an agreement with the Missouri Office of Disciplinary Counsel in which she acknowledges mistakes in her handling of the prosecution of former Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens but won’t face any severe penalties for those mistakes.
St. Louis prosecutor, disciplinary panel reach agreement
St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner has reached an agreement with the Missouri Office of Disciplinary Counsel in which she acknowledges mistakes in her handling of the prosecution of former Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens but won't face severe penalties for those mistakes. In the agreement, Gardner concedes that she failed to produce documents and mistakenly maintained that all documents had been provided to Greitens' lawyers in the 2018 criminal case. The panel would still need to sign off on the agreement and make a recommendation within 30 days to the Missouri Supreme Court.
news.yahoo.comGreitens has become 'erratic, unhinged,' ex-wife alleges
The ex-wife of Eric Greitens said in a sworn statement that the former Missouri governor and current U.S. Senate candidate has become erratic and unhinged since she accused him of abuse in an earlier court filing. Sheena and Eric Greitens have been trading accusations in a child custody case. In a March affidavit, Sheena Greitens said her ex-husband was physically abusive and demonstrated “unstable and coercive behavior” so concerning that steps were taken to limit his access to firearms.
news.yahoo.comBusch beer heiress enters Missouri US Senate race
Anheuser-Busch beer heiress Trudy Busch Valentine on Tuesday announced her candidacy for U.S. Senate, shaking up what has been a low-profile Democratic primary in a solidly red state. Busch Valentine's entrance into the race comes amid widespread calls from fellow Republicans for former Gov. Eric Greitens to drop out of the race after his ex-wife accused him of physically abusing her and one of their kids. In a Monday announcement dropping out of the Democratic primary, former state Sen. Scott Sifton endorsed Busch Valentine and called on other Democrats to unite behind her.
news.yahoo.comEx-wife of Missouri Senate candidate Eric Greitens accuses him of domestic violence in court documents
The ex-wife of Missouri Senate candidate Eric Greitens accused him in court documents of knocking her down, taking away her cellphone, physically abusing their children and repeatedly threatening suicide if she did not publicly support him during the 2018 scandal that led to his resignation as governor.
washingtonpost.comMissouri senator protests punishment for wearing overalls
A Missouri state senator punished for wearing overalls on the Senate floor blocked any work from getting done Tuesday in protest. Republican Sen. Mike Moon, a candidate for U.S. Congress who once videotaped himself gutting a chicken to make a political point, filibustered to stop even administrative tasks from moving forward. Moon read a book on prisoners of war before the Senate adjourned for the day without taking action.
news.yahoo.comGOP Missouri Attorney General Schmitt running for US Senate
FILE - In this Aug. 6, 2020 file photo, Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt speaks during a news conference in St. Louis. – Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt on Wednesday announced he's making a bid to replace Roy Blunt in the Senate, setting up a Republican primary against disgraced former Gov. Voters first elected Schmitt to the state Senate in 2008 to represent a suburban St. Louis district. He was elected state treasurer in 2016, then took over as the state attorney general after Josh Hawley vacated the seat to join the U.S. Senate in 2019. He won another term as attorney general in 2020.
Is Blunt's exit an opening for ex-Gov. Greitens to return?
Greitens' political future seemed doomed by scandal when he resigned as Missouri governor. – O'Eric Greitens' political future seemed doomed by scandal when he resigned as Missouri governor. Also like Trump, Greitens defeated establishment Republicans in the primary before winning in November. Many see Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft as the early favorite to win Blunt's seat, if Ashcroft opts to run. But Missouri Republican Party Treasurer Pat Thomas said Greitens retains “a definite following” among state Republicans.
Wave of retirements signals battles ahead for Republicans
But officials in both parties agree that the surge of GOP departures will make the Republicans' challenge more difficult in the Senate. Several Missouri Republicans are expected to seek the nomination to replace Blunt, but none will be more divisive than former Gov. Ahead of Greitens' announcement, some Republicans worried that he could jeopardize the Senate seat if he emerges as the party's nominee. The former president won by the same margin in Iowa, where 87-year-old Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley is considering retirement. AdMeanwhile, Blunt predicted political success for Republicans in Missouri and beyond during a Monday news conference.
Races for governor take top billing in Missouri, Montana
FILE - In this Sunday, Oct. 25, 2020 file photo, Missouri Republican Gov. Its the most hotly contested of the nations 11 governors races this fall. Which party holds the governor's office could be especially consequential over the next few years. In governor’s races, many of the attack ads are funded by each party’s governors association. In the governor’s race, he said Gianforte’s financial support of a Montana museum dedicated to creationist beliefs was a big problem.
Missouri governor, opponent of mandatory masks, has COVID-19
– Missouri Gov. Mike Parson, a Republican who has steadfastly refused to require residents to wear masks, tested positive for the coronavirus, his office said Wednesday. On Friday, he and several other Missouri Republican candidates appeared together at an event called the “TARGET BBQ” in Springfield. Two other Republican governors also have tested positive for COVID-19, though one of those turned out to be a false positive. Kevin Stitt became the first governor to test positive in July.
St. Louis couple, in RNC speech, defend show of weapons
The McCloskey case drew Trump's attention, especially after Democratic St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner filed felony unlawful use of a weapon charges in July. A police probable cause statement said protesters feared being injured due to Patricia McCloskeys finger being on the trigger, coupled with her excited demeanor." They broke the gate down, Patricia McCloskey said on Fox & Friends." They had weapons, they had fire material.Mark McCloskey said on the Fox News program that Democrat-controlled St. Louis is a very dangerous place, and the statistics back him up. The people of St. Louis expect me to pursue equal justice under the law without fear or favor, and that is what I intend to do.Gardner, St. Louis first Black circuit attorney, was elected in 2016 and appears headed to another term.
St. Louis prosecutor chided by Trump faces primary challenge
FILE - In a Monday, Jan. 13, 2020 file photo, St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner speaks in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jim Salter, File)ST. LOUIS St. Louis' top prosecutor faced a primary challenge on Tuesday after drawing criticism from President Donald Trump for filing charges against a couple who displayed guns at protesters marching near their home. Kim Gardner, the city's first Black circuit attorney, also received national attention when she filed criminal charges against Missouri's governor in 2018. She's being challenged in the Democratic primary by Mary Pat Carl, who is white and once served as the city's lead homicide prosecutor. St. Louis is overwhelmingly Democratic.
Ex-homicide prosecutor challenges St. Louis circuit attorney
FILE - In a Monday, Jan. 13, 2020 file photo, St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner speaks in St. Louis. Gardner became St. Louis' first Black circuit attorney when she was elected in 2016 and has enacted a progressive, reformist agenda. (AP Photo/Jim Salter, File)ST. LOUIS The fate of St. Louis elected prosecutor may rest with which side city voters fall in two competing national debates: criminal justice reform versus the push to crack down on crime. Kim Gardner became St. Louis first Black circuit attorney when she was elected in 2016 and has enacted a progressive, reformist agenda. Bill Hall, a professor of political science at Webster University in suburban St. Louis, said everything is coalescing in Gardners re-election bid.
St. Louis couple charged for pulling guns at protest
FILE - In this June 28, 2020 file photo, armed homeowners Mark and Patricia McCloskey, standing in front their house along Portland Place confront protesters marching to St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson's house in the Central West End of St. Louis. St. Louis top prosecutor told The Associated Press on Monday, July 20, 2020 that she is charging a white husband and wife with felony unlawful use of a weapon for displaying guns during a racial injustice protest outside their mansion. Louis Post-Dispatch via AP File)ST. LOUIS St. Louis top prosecutor told The Associated Press on Monday that she is charging a white husband and wife with felony unlawful use of a weapon for displaying guns during a racial injustice protest outside their mansion. It is illegal to wave weapons in a threatening manner that is unlawful in the city of St. Louis, Gardner said. Gardner, St. Louis first Black circuit attorney, has been at odds with some in the St. Louis establishment since her election in 2016.
Hawley seeks civil rights probe in case of St. Louis couple
FILE - In this June 28, 2020 file photo, armed homeowners Mark and Patricia McCloskey, standing in front their house along Portland Place confront protesters marching to St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson's house in the Central West End of St. Louis. Sen. Josh Hawley on Thursday urged Attorney General William Barr to launch a federal civil rights investigation of St. Louis' elected prosecutor, accusing Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner of abusing her power in her investigation of a white couple who wielded guns while defending their home during a protest. The couple accused protesters of knocking down an iron gate marked with No Trespassing and Private Street signs. He said the McCloskeys had every right to protect their property.Gardner, St. Louis' first Black circuit attorney, has been at odds with some in the St. Louis establishment since her election in 2016. The McCloskeys' attorney, Albert Watkins, said they are longtime civil rights advocates and support the message of the Black Lives Matter movement.